1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for storing and transporting printing plates, and to a rack for storing and transporting a plurality of such apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printing plates, and in particular aluminum based printing plates, have very sharp edges. Contact with these sharp edges can cause injury, such as skin cuts or even worse. Such injuries are particularly likely during transportation of plural printing plates from one location to another.
Another problem which occurs during the transport of plural printing plates from one location to another is that the edges of the plates are easily damaged. Bending of corners as well as nicks along the edges of the plates and scratches on the printing surfaces of the plates can frequently occur during transport of plural printing plates from a printing plate imaging device to a printing press.
There is also a need in the art to store printing plates in a convenient manner for ease of latter identifying the printing plates and is such a fashion that the printing plates will not be damaged during storage. There is also a need to store a plurality of printing plates together, e.g. for printing a color page, one printing plate would be stored for each of the ink colors required by the color page. This is for a typical color page a separate printing plate for each of the colors, cyan, magenta, yellow and black may be required and ideally would be stored together.
In view of the foregoing, printing plate transportation systems have been developed which ostensibly reduce the likelihood of injuries from plate edges, damage to plate edges and scratching of the imaging surfaces. These systems may also served as convenient printing plate storage devices. Such systems usually take the form of a rack or the like which holds a plurality of printing plates, and which can be moved without actually touching the plates themselves. One such system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,898 to Burgess, Sr. et al. Burgess, Sr. et al. teach supporting one or more printing plates on a rack which includes a bracket for supporting the printing plates by a bent over tab provided on each of the printing plates. One problem with such systems, however, is that the plates"" edges remain substantially exposed. As a result, injuries caused by the plates"" edges and damage to the plates are still relatively likely, particularly during mounting and removal of the plates from the rack. Moreover, there is no convenient way of separating the printing plates according to the application.
To address the foregoing problems, some conventional systems store printing plates in folders which can be hung on a rack. Such a system is available from FOSTERS MANUFACTURING of Philadelphia Pa. One problem with these systems, however, is that the folders are typically made from paper or vinyl and are open at two or three ends, thereby increasing the likelihood that printing plates stored therein will fall out and injure a nearby person or be damaged. Moreover, such systems are also generally limited to storing one plate in each folder due to the limit weight carrying capacity. As a result, using these systems, it is cumbersome, and even dangerous, to transport more than one plate without using the rack, since to do so requires transporting more than one folder, each of which has several open ends that provide a potential for exposure to a plate edge.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a way to store and to transport printing plates safely. In particular, there exists a need for a way to store and to transport printing plates which reduces the likelihood of personal injury from edges thereof and which reduces the likelihood of damaging the printing plate edges and printing surfaces.
The present invention addresses the foregoing needs by storing a plurality of printing plates in a sleeve having one open end, which encloses all but one edge of each printing plate. By storing the printing plates in a sleeve having one open end, the invention reduces the likelihood of exposure to plate edges during storage, and the likelihood of plates falling out of the sleeve during transport. The invention also includes a handle on each sleeve, which facilitates transport of a plurality of plates without the need for a rack.
Thus, according to one aspect, the present invention is an apparatus which is capable of storing a plurality of printing plates. The apparatus includes a sleeve having one open end which receives the printing plates and a handle connected to the sleeve. In the invention, the sleeve encloses all but one edge of each received printing plate, thereby reducing the likelihood of injuries therefrom or damage thereto.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the sleeve comprises two mutually-opposed surfaces which enclose each received printing plate such that each enclosed edge of each received printing plate is unexposed external to the apparatus. In these embodiments, at the open end, each of the mutually-opposed surfaces includes a cut-away portion which only partially exposes the one xe2x80x9cexposedxe2x80x9d edge of each of the printing plates. By reducing plate edge exposure to all but part of one edge of each printing plate, the invention correspondingly reduces the likelihood of injury from edges on the printing plates.
In other preferred embodiments of the invention, the sleeve receives the plurality printing plates vertically. By receiving the printing plates vertically, the invention facilitates storage and removal of the plates.
In particularly preferred embodiments, the apparatus is held on a mobile rack via one or more holes in the apparatus. A representative embodiment of the mobile rack includes one or more hooks for holding the plurality of apparatuses vertically, and wheels for moving the rack. By holding a plurality of the apparatuses vertically, the invention facilitates mounting of the apparatuses on the rack, while still permitting easy storage and withdrawal of individual printing plates within individual apparatuses. Moreover, the rack itself facilitates transport of printing plates from one location to another location.
According to another aspect, the present invention is an apparatus for holding one or more printing plates. The apparatus includes receiving means (e.g., a sleeve) for vertically receiving the one or more printing plates. In the invention, the receiving means is capable of shielding all but one edge of each of the one or more printing plates. Also included in the apparatus are supporting means (e.g., support beams) for providing structural support for the receiving means, and holding means (e.g., a handle), connected to the receiving means, for holding the apparatus.
The advantages noted above are also applicable to this aspect of the invention. Moreover, this aspect of the invention includes supporting means, such as one or more support beams radiating outwardly from a center point of the receiving means, for maintaining structural rigidity of the receiving means. By including such supporting means, the invention is able safely to hold more printing plates than otherwise would be possible.
According to still another aspect, the invention is a method of transporting a plurality of printing plates. The method includes storing the plurality of printing plates in a sleeve having one open end which receives the printing plates and which encloses all but one edge of each received printing plate. The method also includes transporting the printing plates from one location to another location using at least one of (i) a handle connected to the sleeve (e.g., in a case that only one sleeve is to be transported) and (ii) a hole in the handle (e.g., for mounting the sleeve onto a rack for transporting a plurality of sleeves each holding a plurality of printing plates).
As described in more detail below, the foregoing method provides a way to store and to transport printing plates more safely and efficiently than its conventional counterparts described above.